You are welcome! I'm 72 years old. I still work (for $$) but only about 1 day a week. Sooo, I have a lot of time to respond. Keeps my mind active! You are correct in that done of this stuff is salvational. All of the subjects I am discussing I have taught in our adult Sunday school. I look at this as "sharpening the sword" (metaphorically of course).
"Not really"? God gave them "all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers". Does "all the land" mean "all the land"? That's what it says.
Joshua 21:43 - **"And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein." **
Was Israel obedient to Jehovah? Nope! Did they keep the covenant? What did God promise to do if they were disobedient? Deu chapter 28 says they were not!
God didn't bring them back to the land in 1948 - the Rothschild's did! And who is the "them"? Are they part of Israel? Are they "in Christ"?
Galatians 3:26-29: " For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Paul (a Jew, an Israelite of the Tribe of Benjamin) defined what it means to be part of Abraham's seed. And it doesn't matter whether you are a "Jew" or "gentile" In fact Paul tells us that under the New Covenant there is neither "Jew" nor "gentile". You either believe Paul or you believe dispensational teaching introduced to America by the Scofield Reference Bible.
I don't believe "the Church replaced Israel" I believe the Church is Israel! The Church is the continuation of Old Testament Israel under a new covenant - the covenant of Jesus Christ. Listen to Paul in Galatians 6:16: "And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and **upon the Israel of God" ** Who is the "Israel of God"? It's the New Testament Church friend both Jew and Gentile. This isn't "replacement theology" it's fulfillment theology". The promises that God made to Israel were kept under the New Covenant.
The "Church" started as a 100% Jewish institution. Later Samaritans were added and finally the Gentiles. The Church is the body of Christ! The Church is the New Jerusalem! Jesus only has one bride, one church! There is only one baptism - not one for the Jew and another for the Gentile.
Here's a good video on the subject of dispensationalism:
The promises made to Abraham, Issac and Jacob? Sure the promises are there - but under the new and better covenant who inherits the promises? Galatians says it's those that are "in Christ". Those in Christ are the "Abraham's seed" - both Jew and Gentile. Studying the covenants are the key to understanding the promises.
Galatians 3:26-49 - "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."
Dispensationalism teaches that Israel never possessed the land. But God kept his promises and gave them the land:
Joshua 23: 43-45 - "So the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass."
My Catholic Bible has 77 books. I have access to 28 Bible translations including the Catholic Bible (Douay-Rheims).
I was baptized (sprinkled) as an infant in the Roman Catholic Church.
Can you find the gospel of Jesus Christ in the Catholic Bible? What about a Protestant Bible such as the King James? Of course you can. Let's look at Acts 2:38 in both the DRV and KJV:
Acts 2:38 (DRV) - But Peter said to them: Do penance, and be **baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, **for the remission of your sins: and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2:38 (KJV) - Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be **baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ **for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Now let me ask you this: Does the Catholic Church baptize "in the name of Jesus Christ"? I don't think it does. It baptizes in the titles "Father, Son and Holy Ghost".
Why doesn't the Catholic Church follow what's clearly in it's own Bible?
Thanks for your response. It was articulate and thoughtful! I certainly agree that Israel has problems and that those problems probably can't be solved until other problems are solved first.
And I agree that "the politics of Israel may be entwined with the politics of the U.S." And that's the worrisome part to me. Is it right for our Senators and Reps. to be dual US/Israeli citizens? Which nation are they loyal to? What would people think if our politicians held dual citizenship with another country? How about US/Germany dual citizenship? Or US/fill in the blank?
And what campaign contributions politicians receive from AIPAC, the American/Israeli PAC? There's only a handful of US politicians that don't take AIPAC $$. It's almost as if our foreign policy is controlled by Israel. I have no problem with Trump having the "deepest religious respect" for Israel. I have the deepest religious respect for Israel also. The problem comes in when we mix up religious respect with politics and foreign policy.
My church was started on the Day of Pentecost! I follow the Apostles teachings/doctrine - which I can find in either a Catholic or Protestant Bible.
Let me ask you a simple question: How does the Catholic Church baptize?
Yep - Trump was speaking about a shooting in a Jewish kosher grocery in New Jersey. He was not referring to the modern nation state of Israel. There's a huge difference. Everything Trump said was a normal reaction to criminal murder. If someone/anyone goes into anyplace and shoots/kills people they should get the death penalty. Trump would have said the same thing if instead of a Jewish grocery it had been a Christian church or a mosque.
I agree! The way I see it all prophecy points to Jesus Christ. Most Christians seem to read the bible asking themselves "what does this mean to me"? What they should be asking is what did this passage of scripture likely mean to the original audience it was written too? Revelation, for example, was written to 7 churches in Asia that existed in the 1st century. These were real churches, with real people who had real problems. What was John's purpose in addressing Revelation to them? Wasn't it to comfort them? Weren't they under tremendous persecution?
An AI summary! I have messed with ChatGP a bit. I asked for information on the Godhead. It came back with what I would call the consensus opinion on that subject. Now AI did give you what I believe to be the 2 major opinions on the subject of Mystery Babylon.
The Catholic Church is a popular protestant interpretation for the identity of Mystery Babylon. As an X-Catholic I can appreciate that interpretation. I will clearly state that I believe the Catholic Church is a type of Mystery Babylon. But did the Apostle John have the Catholic church in mind when he wrote Revelation? In fact did John even have us (2024 Christians) in mind when he wrote Revelation? Who was Johns' primary audience? The 7 churches in Asia - real churches that existed in John's day.
One quick point I'll make is that you are correct that Rome is a city on seven hills. But did you know that Jerusalem is also a city built on seven hills? Most folks dismiss Jerusalem as Mystery Babylon simply because they interpret the city on seven hills as being Rome. Revelation 17:9 (KJV) - And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
We are given clues in Revelation as to the identity of Mystery Babylon:
#1: Mystery Babylon is a city. (Rev. 17:18; 14:8; 16:19; 18:10) #2: Mystery Babylon presides over a vast international system (of religion). (Rev. 17:1; 17:15) #3: Mystery Babylon (the city) sits on 7 hills. (Rev. 17:9) #4: Mystery Babylon is clothed in purple & red. (Rev. 17:4) #5: Mystery Babylon was were our Lord was crucified: (Rev. 11:8)
Rev 11:8 (KJV) - And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, **where also our Lord was crucified. **
I believe that Rev. 11:8 kinda "seals the deal". It's hard to get around that scripture. And you know what? I have noticed articles that conclude that either the city of Rome (or the Catholic Church) are Mystery Babylon (conveniently) leave out any mention of Rev. 11:8!
I can take thru point by point as to why I believe Mystery Babylon is Jerusalem of the 1st century rather than the Catholic Church. I am willing to do that - but first please read the article below. I am very close to the author of that article.
Thanks! Yep I agree - folks like us find it hard to believe that anyone voted for her - but here we are. Maybe after Trump is in office and the price of gas is reduced by 50% they might believe.....or their Social Security isn't taxed......or.....
The "Jews" had already been scattered prior to 70AD. The 2nd Temple was destroyed in 70AD. The 1st Temple had already been destroyed by the Babylonians and the "Jews" were scattered. Paul mentions the elect and the remnant. The remnant of the Jews were gathered in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. They repented and confessed that Jesus was the Messiah. The process continues to this day.
What you believe is dispensationalism - popularized by the Scofield Reference Bible and John Nelson Darby and the Plymouth Brethren.
So do you think Romans 11 means every single "Jew" will be saved? Romans 9:6 - " Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:" Again the "Jews" started repenting on the Day of Pentecost. The early church started as 100% "Jewish". The Church is the New Jerusalem!
In the New Testament WHO is a Jew?
Paul (A Jew) gives us the answer in Romans 2:28-29 - " For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."
All indeed will have to come to Jesus to be saved - but guess what? According to Romans only a remnant will! Romans 9:27 - “Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:”
There is only one gospel - one Church composed of Jew and Gentile. God only has one bride. Today all are welcome to come into the Church. The doors are not closed to the Jew or the Gentile.
This is what Mike Adams had quoted on his Natural News website:
"Trump appears to have been referring to a deadly shooting at a local kosher grocery store in New Jersey that he described as an "evil antisemitic attack" that he called "an assault on all of us" – or it could have been about the synagogue shooting that happened around the same time."
(So the context is a deadly shooting at a local kosher grocery store in NJ - so if you shoot innocent people you should get the death penalty - you should be destroyed).
"Through the centuries, the Jews have endured terrible persecution, and you know that – we've all read it, we've studied it, (and) they've gone through a lot. And those seeking their destruction, we will seek their destruction,"
"Now when you have crimes like this, whether it's this one or another one or another group, we have to bring back the death penalty. They have to pay the ultimate price. They can't do this. They can't do this to our country. We must draw a line in the sand and say very strongly: never again."
I really think Trumps words have been twisted a bit. Is "speaking against Israel" the same as "seeking their destruction"? And when Trump uses the term "never again" I take that as referring to the holocaust. When Trump refers to "crimes like this" I assume that he is also referring the the holocaust.
To quote Mike Adams from his article: "Whenever antisemitism is detected, Trump wants it to be "condemned." Not only that, Trump also wants all Americans to "stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters to defeat antisemitism and vanquish the forces of hate – that's what it is,"** which to him means killing all offenders." ** (Mike Adams is giving HIS opinion on the meaning of what Trump said when he stated "which to him means killing all offenders"! Sorry that's not what Trump said - that's Mike Adams twisting Trumps words (in my opinion).
Watch this video - this guy does a great job articulating what Trump is currently up against: https://old.bitchute.com/video/jMruV85euMTF/.
OK let me ask my question in another way: Could you please give me the Biblical source, book, chapter and verse for your belief that Christ "studied other religions"? I'll read everything and anything you send my way and carefully consider it.
I am aware that Christ spent time in Egypt in his early years: Matthew 2:13 - "Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
I have a deep respect for God's Chosen People! But who, today, are God's Chosen People? God's Chosen People were represented by the Jews that responded to Peter's message of salvation on the Day of Pentecost! All others are Christ rejecters. The Church are the called out ones. The Church started as a Jewish institution. Gentiles were added later.
Here's Peter a Jew describing the New Testament Church: 1 Peter 2:9: "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;"
This is not replacement theology it's fulfilled prophecy.
Beat me to it!